De Minaur’s class melts tennis world’s heart after Rotterdam final loss

Alex de Minaur lost the final, but won the crowd with a classy speech before he let slip a secret he had carried all week.

Alex de Minaur lost the Rotterdam final to Carlos Alcaraz, but he can walk away knowing he won the crowd.

Alcaraz clinched his first indoor title on Monday morning (AEDT), overpowering a spirited effort by the Australian to win the final 6-4 3-6 6-2.

The world No. 8 proved he deserved to be in the final and showed he was a very real threat when he wrapped up the second set.

If there were still any doubts about the legitimacy of his rise to the top echelon of the sport, they were blown away on Monday when his ATP Tour ranking surged past Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.

De Minaur will rise up to No. 6 on the official rankings — the equal highest of his career.

However, he simply didn’t have the answers when Alcaraz’s level lifted in the third set.

The 25-year-old suffered a bad case of seizing up near the finish line, but he will walk away with plenty of positives to think about.

The decisive set went with serve until the sixth game when Alcaraz got his nose in front, breaking the Australian’s serve with a drop shot that De Minaur pushed wide.

You can watch de Minaur’s classy speech in the video player above.

Alex de Minaur and Carlos Alcaraz with their trophies. Photo: X.

Alex de Minaur is all class. Photo: X and Tennis Channel.

Alex de Minaur grimaces in the middle of his speech. Photo: X and Tennis Channel.

De Minaur served to stay in the match at 5-2 down but hit a catastrophic double-fault to give Alcaraz two match points.

He then pushed a tired-looking backhand into the net to give Alcaraz victory and a 17th tour title, the Spaniard roaring “vamos” as the crowd rose to its feet.

For De Minaur, it was a case of deja vu, as he lost in the final last year as well to world number one Jannik Sinner.

His speech during the trophy presentations was all class.

“To my team, they’ve been there from the very beginning,” he said.

“We are pushing for bigger and better things. We’ve made great improvements. Everyone here and everyone who’s back home, family and friends… it’s been a lot of improvements in my game. I’ll keep pushing for more.

He went on to say after a humorous grimace: “It’s been two years with this runner-up trophy. I’m hoping I’ll get my hand on the winners’ one day.”

Speaking to reporters after the match, De Minaur revealed a secret he had carried throughout the tournament — that he had also been struggling with illness, like his opponent.

“I’m just looking forward to getting into bed and hopefully getting some rest,” he said.

“I don’t need excuses, I go out there, compete, I tried my best, wasn’t enough today.”

Earlier in his on-court speech, de Minaur also praised his opponent.

“First of all happy Sunday to everyone. Carlos congratulations man. Too good again, you and your whole team,” he said.

“You’re an incredible person. We’ve known each other a long time. We’ve always had fun battles. I enjoyed myself on the court today. Thank you and well done for the week.” ️

World number three Alcaraz had too much weight of shot off both flanks for his opponent, who retrieved valiantly but lacked the weapons to topple the top seed.

He now becomes the youngest man in history to win a title on clay, grass, hard court, and indoor hard courts.

“This week has been a really good week,” said Alcaraz.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning match point. Photo by Sander Koning, AFP.

“I came here not feeling 100-percent well with a cold but every day I felt better and better,” added the Spaniard, who wore a nose-clip all week to help him breathe easier.

Alcaraz was first to seize the initiative, breaking De Minaur’s serve in the third game, helped by a double-fault and some ferocious groundstrokes.

But the Australian, ranked eighth in the world, struck back, breaking to love in the seventh game to bring the set back on serve at 4-4.

An ill-judged drop shot at 0-30 down in the next game put the pressure back on De Minaur and Alcaraz produced a powerful backhand pass to give himself a chance to serve out the set.

The Spaniard secured the set at the first time of asking, De Minaur netting a forehand return and giving himself an uphill battle to get back into the match.

The second set saw a shift in momentum as De Minaur managed an early break of his own and raced into a 3-0 lead.

De Minaur squandered two chances at a second break but clung on to his serve to give himself an opportunity to close out the set.

He levelled up the match, as Alcaraz dumped a backhand into the net, having smashed two wild forehands long out of court earlier in the game.

The Spaniard proved his class by regaining his composure and winning the decisive set.

— with AFP

Originally published as De Minaur’s class melts tennis world’s heart after Rotterdam final loss